The Election Has Begun. It Ends in 60 Days.

Today, the first general election ballots go out to voters in North Carolina. From there, mail-in ballots will be sent in each state, followed by early in-person voting in most states, culminating on Election Day, November 3. The 2026 midterms have officially begun, and they end in 60 days.

In light of Donald Trump’s unprecedented election subversion and voter suppression efforts, including weaponizing the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to potentially disenfranchise voters, it’s incumbent on each of us not just to vote, but to take measures to ensure our votes are counted. Keep reading for four recommendations on the safest ways to vote in the midterms.

Yesterday, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to green light its efforts to undermine free and fair elections. A whistleblower earlier this week asserted that USPS is moving forward with a “secretive, rushed” effort – in violation of existing court orders – to exert federal control over voting by mail. Specifically, the whistleblower claims USPS is rushing to implement a new digital system that has not been adequately tested and could put millions of ballots at risk by being delayed, mishandled, or rejected, potentially in batches of thousands.

Also yesterday, in a Massachusetts federal court, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani warned that the administration’s new mail system would cause so much chaos that states could experience “major disenfranchisement.” She also questioned why USPS would do “a test run” of this new system so close to the election, and reminded the White House that “we’re not talking about an intellectual puzzle game. We’re talking about people’s right to vote.”

The question of why Trump would attempt to sow chaos and confusion around mail-in voting has been answered by the president himself. Earlier this year, Donald Trump said that Republicans should “take over” voting and “nationalize” elections, and that appears to be exactly what he’s trying to do with USPS. He’s targeting mail-in voting because Democrats use it more than Republicans, despite the fact that he personally votes by mail.

In 2024, nearly one in three voted by mail – 24% of Republicans and 37% of Democrats – accounting for more than 48 million votes. States such as California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Washington have universal mail-in voting by default. There is no way to avoid mail-in voting – and it’s certainly better than not voting at all – but it’s possible your vote may be at risk in the mail. The best way to confront this uncertainty is to consider the following:

Four recommendations for voting in the midterms

1. Make sure your registration is up to date
   Double-check that you are registered to vote by visiting Vote.org. It takes less than a minute.
2. If your state offers it, vote early and in person
   Early voting is easier and less crowded than voting on Election Day. Use this chart to see if your state offers early voting and the start and end dates. Your polling location may differ for early voting than Election Day, so confirm where you can vote early before heading to the polls.
3. Request and return your mail-in ballot well before Election Day
   Request your mail-in ballot as soon as possible. Vote and return it as soon as you can. If your state allows, consider using a dropbox or dropping your ballot off in person at your local board of elections office before Election Day instead of mailing it.
4. Vote in person on Election Day, November 3
   Be sure to leave yourself enough time to vote in person on Election Day. Again, voting early in person is optimal, but if not, vote in person on Election Day.

The stakes of this election couldn’t be higher, as demonstrated by Donald Trump’s ongoing attacks on our democracy, which he continues with impunity. Over the next few hours, days, and weeks, developments with mail-in voting are likely to unfold further in the courts, leading to more confusion. Don’t let it stop you from voting.

If we want to reestablish guardrails on this out-of-control White House, Democrats must win back control of Congress, and it’s within reach. That’s why we’re supporting 155 Democrats who share our values. The path to Democrats winning in November runs through these critical districts and states, and there are incredibly strong Democrats on the ballot who can win with your support.

The future of democracy has been the number one issue for Jewish voters in three consecutive elections, including this one, and it’s on the ballot in 2026. If ever there was an election that posed existential questions about the future of democracy, it is this one, which is why it’s incumbent on each of us to VOTE, ensure that our ballots are counted, and encourage others to vote.

Join our phone banks now through Election Day, and support our efforts so we can do even more. Join JDCA next week, on Wednesday, September 9, at 7:00 p.m. ET, for a virtual rally, Midterm Momentum, with leading Democratic candidates fighting to flip seats from red to blue. You don’t want to miss it.

Shabbat Shalom and happy Labor Day,

Halie Soifer
CEO, Jewish Democratic Council of America